Lawyer says client illegally arrested in zirconium case

Dubai: The advocate of a legal consultant, who was recently implicated as a suspect in the zirconium case, argued that his client was unaware of what he carried to the main suspect on Tuesday.

The Public Prosecution recently charged the 43-year-old Emirati legal consultant, S.B., with aiding and abetting the main suspect, 48-year-old Jordanian A.A., in trading in zirconium (a material used to fill nuclear fuel tanks).

The Public Prosecution included the Emirati in the case after the Jordanian's trial commenced at the Dubai Court of Misdemeanour two months ago.

"My client [S.B.] was unaware of the nature of the 30-cm-long zirconium bar which he transferred to A.A. Law enforcement officers failed to carry out proper investigations ... and this has led to his unlawful arrest," said S.B.'s lawyer Saeed Al Ghailani of Saeed Al Ghailani Advocates and Legal Consultants.

A.A. has denied charges of violating a treaty which forbids importing equipment, substances or machines used in manufacturing explosives without obtaining proper permission from concerned authorities.

In his defence, Al Ghailani told the Court of Misdemeanor yesterday: "The Public Prosecution failed to prove that my client assisted A.A. in trading in zirconium. Where is the trading contract, what was the quantity and how much was the cost and who is the buyer? The interrogators couldn't answer those questions! The bill of impeachment didn't include any evidence against S.B."

Meanwhile, A.A. told the judge that S.B. had nothing to do with the case, but the judge has asked him to mention that in his written defence.

Chief prosecutor Younus Al Beloushi said in the Public Prosecution's argument earlier: "The Jordanian suspect is familiar with the importance of zirconium... He traded in zirconium for four years. He is aware that it is used in warplanes. He is dangerous... We ask the court to pass a stringent judgement."